16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/11569
Indigenous sheep breeds in organic livestock production in
karst areas of Croatia*†
Radin, L.1, Šimpraga M.1, Vojta, A. 1, Marinculić, A.1
Key words: sheep, indigenous, karst, organic, Croatia
Abstract
Organic sheep breeding in Croatia is based on indigenous breeds, which are well
adapted to their environment. This practice eliminates most of the problems usually
encountered when imported foreign breeds have to be adjusted to the new conditions.
Karst areas, encompassing about 50% of Croatian territory, are the natural habitat to
eight of nine indigenous sheep breeds. These areas are nearly free from pollution,
which makes them ideal for organic production. These facts were the foundations for
the onset of the projects “Organic lamb production in Croatia” and “Standardisation of
some health parameters of Croatian indigenous sheep breeds”. Their goal is to
promote and support the development of organic sheep production in Croatian karst
areas. In the course of two years, we monitored housing conditions, feeding regime
and general health status of animals from five organic flocks. We took blood and
faeces samples to determine normal ranges of key physiological and biochemical
parameters, since no such previous data existed. They will provide the basis for health
monitoring as an aid to veterinarians and sheep breeders in organic production. The
development of organic livestock production in the karst areas of Croatia is aimed at
accelerating the economic growth of this underdeveloped region by providing a
framework for creating a competitive product, while preserving the traditional way of life
and protecting the environment.
Introduction
Croatian consumers started to show interest in organic products some 15 years ago. At
that time organic production was not surveilled, nor was there a proper regulative
system introduced. Finally in 2001, Ministry of Agriculture issued the relevant legislative
acts, which were in accordance with the IFOAM Basic Standards 2000, and founded
the Department for Organic Production. Since then, 446 farms have been registered for
organic production on a total of 6.011 hectars, which represents only about 0.5% of
agricultural land in Croatia.
For further development of organic production, especially sheep farming, almost ideal
conditions are found in Croatian karst areas (Šimpraga et al. 2005). Karst represents a
landscape shaped by the mildly acidic water acting on soluble bedrock such as
limestone. When plans for farming in karst areas are made, the lack of surface water
must be taken in account, since even when rainfall is adequate, the rainwater quickly
flows away through the crevices into the ground, sometimes leaving the surface soil
parched between rains. Nearly 50% of the Croatian territory can be classified as karst
areas, most of which are situated in the Mediterranean region. Most of the land in these
areas can be used only for grazing, which makes livestock production the most
promising branch of agricultural production in this area (Boyazoglu, 2002). Sheep that
1
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Heinzelova 55, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia,
e-mail: lada_radin@vef.hr
16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/11569
have been reared there for centuries have adapted to the harsh environment
exceptionally well, using the potential of the karst areas to the maximum and providing
high-quality products such as meat, milk, leather and wool (Garibović et al., 2006). The
number of sheep in karst areas in Croatia kept on 5.781 farms has reached 338.903 in
2006. These figures are still far from more than one million sheep reared in the 19 th
century in Dalmatia only, which at that time represented the highest per capita number
of sheep in the whole Europe. Previous attempts to increase meat and milk production
in karst areas were based on import of foreign breeds suitable for intensive production.
All such attempts failed and showed that the specific conditions of karst areas support
only the rearing of indigenous breeds which are exceptionally well adapted to their
native environment (Mioč et al., 2006).
Taking into account the huge potential of organic breeding in pristine, unpolluted karst
areas based on the nine well-adapted Croatian indigenous sheep breeds, we started
with the research projects. Their main goal was to establish a network of organic
sheep farms in order to stimulate and promote development of organic sheep breeding
in Croatian karst areas.Regular checking of health status of the reared animals
becomes almost indispensible because organic breeding excludes any kind of
preventive treatment, especially anti parasitic. This makes parasite infestations a true
challenge in organic sheep production (Rahmann and Seip, 2007). Blood profiling is
therefore a well known method for health monitoring (Ingraham and Kappel, 1988).
Since none of the parameters for indigenous sheep breeds have been standardized
previously, normal physiological values of key haematological and biochemical
parameters have been determined in this study.
Materials and methods
The research was conducted on 30 animals from organically reared flock of indigenous
Lička pramenka sheep. As control group we used 30 animals from a heard of
Merinolandschaf sheep reared under same conditions as Lička pramenka. Samples of
blood and faeces were taken every 3 months in a course of two years. The parameters
determined included erythrocyte count (RBC), leukocyte count (WBC), haemoglobin
(Hb), hematocrit (Hct), red blood cell indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC), Calcium (Ca),
Phosphorus (P), Magnesium (Mg), glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine,
aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gama-glutamil transferase (GGT), serum albumine
and total protein concentrations.
Animals were monitored clinically through standard veterinary supervision, which
included general health status and determination of haematological and biochemical
profiles. Rearing conditions, especially housing and feeding, were supervised in order
to comply with the rules of organic production.
Results
The results shown in Tables 1 and 2 provide a sub-range specific for organically bred
Lička pramenka sheep. Differences between RBC, WBC and thrombocyte count, Hb
concentration, MCV, MCH in Lička pramenka and Merinolandschaf sheep were
statistically significant to the level of p<0.01.
16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/11569
Tab. 1: Haematological values (mean±SD) and range for organically bred Lička
pramenka are given.
Parameter
Hemoglobin (g/l)
Hematocrit (%)
MCV (fl)
MCH (pg)
MCHC (g/l)
Erythrocytes (1012/l)
Thrombocytes (109/l)
Leukocytes (109/l)
Value (±SD)
97,49±14,65
29±4
31,81±2,11
10,61±0,68
333,7±14,53
9,23±1,44
263,05±154,11
11,22±3,21
Range (min–max)
76–118
22.6–36.2
31.0–38.5
10.2–12.1
306–356
6.72–10.34
30–377
5.1–18.7
Tab. 2: Biochemical values (mean±SD and range) for organically bred Lička
pramenka are given.
Parameter
Calcium (mmol/l)
Phosphorus (mmol/l)
Magnesium (mmol/l)
Glucose (mmol/l)
Urea (mmol/l)
Creatinine (µmol/l)
AST (U/l)
GGT (U/l)
Serum total protein (g/l)
Serum albumin (g/l)
Value (±SD)
2,59±0,31
1,74±0,62
1,44±0,23
3,38±0,64
6,05±1,72
128,55±13,46
131,12±26,93
41,3±15,49
76,85±6,74
37,9±5,77
Range (min–max)
2.50–3.11
0.60–6.01
1.16–1.99
2.8–6.2
3.4–8.4
121–164
62–183
23–44
72–120
30–49
Differences in Hct were significant to the level of p<0.05, while differences in
lymphocyte, monocyte, basophyl and eosinophyl count and MCHC were not significant.
Differences in biochemical values – P, BUN, creatinine level and AST activity were
significant to the level of p<0.01; Ca, glucose and GGT to p<0.05. Mg, total protein and
albumin levels were not significantly different.
Discussion
The use of haematological and biochemical parameters in health monitoring is already
well established (Meintjes et al., 2002) but since these values depend on the specific
sheep breed and rearing conditions, they have to be determined as a sub-range of the
much broader range found in literature (Tibbo et al., 2005). This called for
determination of relevant parameters characteristic for each breed under specific
conditions of organic production. By combining haematological and biochemical
parameters with the results of the coprological examination, we can gain insight into
the impact of parasitic invasion on the general status of the animals raised, and also
determine the degree of natural resistance and adaptation of indigenous breeds
(Matanović et al., 2007). Since parasites are one of the most important limiting factors
in organic production, their impact needs to be further investigated for the specific
16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/11569
Croatian breeds. Natural resistance of indigenous breeds to parasites is a subsequent
research area that is a logical and necessary extension of the present work.
Conclusions
Upon completion of the research, physiological parameters of indigenous Croatian
sheep breeds will have been fully standardised, which will enable their use in health
monitoring, especially in organic production. Production which is in compliance with the
policies of European Union will ensure a recognizable high-quality organic product
ready to be offered on the international market and also promote stricter regulation of
sheep rearing thus facilitating the effective eradication of the black market for sheep
and lamb products in Croatia. Organic breeding can guarantee increased profit from
sheep production in karst areas, while keeping the benefit of traditional production and
combining it with the modern approach to veterinary monitoring.
Acknowledgments
* This work was financially supported by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education
and Sport (projects TP-02/0053-02 and 053-1780469-2110).
†
All research and other procedures undertaken within this project are in full compliance
with Croatian legislative regulating treatment of experimental and other animals, and
were reviewed and approved by the relevant Ethics committee.
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